Patricia A. Reynolds

In memory of our dear

Patricia A. Reynolds

September 10, 1940 - December 31, 2011

If you have other photos to share, please send them to janeellefson@comcast.net

 

 

Obituary

Patricia Ann (Coan) Reynolds

Patricia Ann (Coan) Reynolds, 71, of Gilbert, Arizona passed away early December 31, 2011 at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center after a sudden cardiac arrest. She was born September 10, 1940 in Peru, Indiana, the daughter of Charles W. and Louise (Touby) Coan. 

"Patty" attended Howard County elementary school and graduated from Northwestern High School in Kokomo in 1958. She was active in band, choir and enjoyed playing piano.

Patty married David Shenk Mann in 1958 and raised three daughters - Michelle, Marcia and Melissa. They lived primarily in Dayton, Ohio until a job assignment took them to Tehran, Iran. They were married for 18 years. 

Patricia had a long career in retail sales and was even worked a full shift the day of her attack. She lived in Nevada, California, Florida and Arizona, moving in order to be close to daughters and grandchildren. 

She is survived by her beloved daughters and their husbands, Michelle Mann and Eric Schmidt, Marcia and Jim Brinton, Melissa and Jim Dixon; and their children Connor, James and Matthew Schmidt, Michelle and James Brinton, and Kayla and Shelby Dixon; Aunts Virginia Coan and Dorothy Kearney; along with many cousins and close friends. 

A memorial services is planned for 2:00 p.m., January 28, 2012 at Northview Christian Church, 2059 North 100 East Morgan Street, Kokomo, Indiana.

Biography

Patricia Ann (Coan) Reynolds, 71, passed away December 31, 2011 at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center after a sudden cardiac arrest.  She was born in Peru, Indiana, the daughter of Charles and Louise (Touby) Coan. 

Patricia is loving mother to Michelle Mann, Marcia (Mann) Brinton, and Melissa (Mann) Dixon and beloved "Nana" to Michelle Brinton, James Brinton, Matthew Schmidt and Kayla and Shelby Dixon.

Patricia grew up on a farm in Kokomo Indiana.  During her childhood, her family called her "Patty".  She was active in 4-H and church activities as a youth.   She played piano beautifully and started taking lessons from her Aunt Virginia when she was 6 years old.  She attended Howard Elementary and graduated from Northwestern High School in 1958.  She sang in the high school choir and played 1st chair flute in band. 

Her mother, Louise, wrote about  Patty as a child driving the tractor and trying to get a sun tan, carrying the milk strainer to the barn for her father, watching the wrestling matches at Grandma Coan's house, and throwing tomatoes at the pickers.  At big Touby family gatherings, everyone chipped in a $.25 to pay her to wash the dishes!  Patricia was a dedicated and hard worker, her strong work ethic influenced by her early years on the family farm.  

Patty met David Shenk Mann at a high school basketball game in Kokomo, Indiana and they were married in Fort Wayne, Indiana by Rev. Richard Lauer on September 26, 1958.  Paul Sapp and Doris Lauer were their attendants.  Pat and David were married for 18 years and raised 3 daughters in Dayton, Ohio. During their years together, the Manns also lived in Iran and traveled to many exciting destinations. 

After returning to the United States, Pat settled in Las Vegas and began a career in hotel management.  A few years later, hotel work took her to California and she and Melissa relocated  to Foster City, CA.  In addition, Tricia's career included owning and operating two franchise stores called Wicks & Sticks and working for Macy's.  Most recently, Tricia worked at the local CVS drugstrore and, in true Tricia-fashion, she was still working the day of her attack.  

Her love of music continued throughout her life;  Tricia especially loved jazz. She often attended the Monterey and Russian River Jazz Festivals while living in California.  Tricia enjoyed the state's natural beauty, the ocean, skiing in Lake Tahoe, and San Francisco's cultural activities.  Her mother, Louise, often traveled to California to visit.   Tricia and Michelle always planned a special outing - weekends in the Gold Country and trips to Monterey Bay and the farmlands and vineyards of Northern California. 

Family was most important to Tricia so she moved to Florida to be closer to Marcia's family.  She felt far too young to be called grandma, so "Nana" was the what the grandchildren called her.  She felt such pride and joy in watching Shelly and Jimmy's sport events and activities.  She loved going to the beach and having cookouts with the kids.

On her last Christmas Day in Florida (2005), the entire family was together. Marcia's family lived there, Melissa's young family came from Arizona and Michelle's family came from California.  With college, school schedules, long distances, and busy lives, it  was rare that all the family could be together.

When Melissa and Jim started a family, Tricia decided to move to Arizona to be closer to the little ones.  Kayla and Shelby were the lights of her life.  She enjoyed doing crafts with them, playing games, going to their school functions and watching them grow.  She was a huge part of their lives and will be dearly missed. 

Thankfully Arizona was closer to California, so Michelle and her son Matthew were able to see Nana several times a year and always around her birthday. They celebrated her 70th birthday in San Diego with the adult children and her 71st with a Polynesian theme at Trader Vic's in Palo Alto.  Her children made every family celebration an occasion to remind her how special she was.

Tricia's flair for creating beautiful settings reflected her terrific sense of style and creativity.  Her homes were always beautifully decorated, perfectly appointed and wonderfully scented. Christmas was her favorite time of year.  Nana always had the tree up early - before Thanksgiving sometimes!  Angels, santas, poinsettas, lights and candles filled her home.  Baking cookies and decorating them with her grandchildren  was the most pleasurable part of the holidays. And eating the cookies wasn't bad either!  The days before her death were full of joy and happiness.

Tricia was a strong willed and independent woman, sometimes even stubborn. She enjoyed living alone and never wanted to be a bother.  As the family talked about the future, she seemed open to the idea of eventually letting go and living with her daughters, sons-in law and their children. 

Tricia encouraged and supported her children unconditionally.  They loved her deeply and will miss her terribly.  Her spirit  lives on in Michelle, Marcia and Melissa  - they are indeed her greatest legacy.

A note from Aunt Virginia
January 2, 2012

I awoke early this morning, remembering so many things about our dear Patricia, and wanted to share with you.

Patricia was born September 10, 1940.  She was the adopted daughter of Charles and Louise Coan of rural Kokomo.  She was known as Patty as a little girl; pretty, talented, and oh so busy.  She was very musical, enjoyed singing and playing the piano.  Her first piano lessons with me were a delight.  She participated in 4-H and many school activities, graduating from Northwestern High School in 1958.  In the fall of that year, she married David Mann.  They became the parents of three daughters; Michelle Annette, Marcia Arlene and Melissa Rene.

Patricia was always friendly and out-going.  She was very supportive in helping her husband as he completed his degree at Indiana University in Bloomington, and later with his employment in Dayton, Ohio.  They made friends easily in each location.  An assignment with Goodyear took them to Iran where the young family enjoyed the experience of the cultural differences.  She encouraged her daughters in their schooling in the American school in Iran, and in Switzerland.  Michelle later graduated from high school in Mexico.

Patricia was always willing to work hard to achieve the goals set before her.  She held many responsible positions in retail sales, and at one time owned her own business.  She enjoyed the pleasure of creating attractive displays, and trying new marketing techniques.  She continued her employment well past her retirement age.  

Most of all, Patricia enjoyed and dearly loved her family.  Her daughters and her grandchildren were her first priority.  After living in Florida for several years near Marcia and Jim and their family, she moved to Gilbert, Arizona to be near her youngest daughter Melissa and James and their two dear daughters.  Michelle, Eric and her grandson Matthew were not far away in California.  She was always able to adapt to new situations.  Her home was open and inviting.

In her note to me just a few days before Christmas, she wrote, "I hope the holiday season finds you well and enjoying the best gift of all -- family."  She closed with, "I wish that I might see you sometime again soon.  So sit down and play a Christmas song and we'll all join our voices in harmony.  Thank you so much.  Patricia"

Our dear Patricia has now joined the heavenly choir.

 

Saving steps

Grandma said that I could save her lots of steps if I would go to the cellar and get some canned peaches.  Happily, I counted as I descended.  My eyes adjusted to the dim light.  There were shelves of canned fruits and vegetables.  I found the peaches, but something else caught my eye.  Dark amber canning jars.  Dusty, empty ones.  "LIGHTNING" was printed in raised letters on the sides.  I couldn't take my eyes off them.  My heart raced.  I wanted one. 

The usual prize for step-saving was a Hershey bar.  We knew exactly where they were kept and always looked forward to mid-afternoon when Grandma needed her chocolate.  (They were in a drawer, neatly stacked in a box.  The Tums could be found in that same drawer.)   Grandma shared her chocolate.  But that day, my heart was set on another prize.  

I tried to remember the step count as I got to the top of the stairs and started counting out loud.  There was much praise as I handed her the peaches with the sum of steps saved.  I described the old jars I had seen and asked many questions.  She must have detected my interest and... said that I could have one!  I saved Grandma some steps.  And I saved my Lightning jar.  Still have it.  Still love it.

Baltimore orioles

The first time I ever saw a Baltimore Oriole was at Grandma and Grandpa Touby's house.  I saw it in the honeysuckle bush just outside the kitchen window.  Grandma told me that they had built a nest in the big tree in front of the house and took me to see it.  

The orioles came to our house yesterday and brought back a flood of memories.

Grape hyacinths

I waited for weeks, checking the flower bed daily, looking for the first buds of grape hyacinths.  They bloomed last week, the day after our first warm day.  These are the old variety...the REALLY old variety.  The first ones came from Bavaria with the Graf family and were planted where our family first settled in Indiana, near Waupecong.  My Great-grandmother Settie wrote a careful account of the family's emigration and first years of getting settled here in America.  She lists the fruits that were planted in the orchard, but she also mentioned the flower bulbs that had been tucked in the freight trunk and planted in their adopted homeland.  They were transferred to the farm when Settie and George were married, and have since been divided and planted in the different locations we have settled.  Elizabeth was especially fond of them; they were in her garden in Kirkland, MO, then in Overland Park, KS.  They now usher in spring and the promise of new life in her memory garden in the grove.

They have taken on a much deeper significance...they are more than historic anecdote, more than a thing of beauty.  They are a legacy, unique among all the things that have been passed down through the generations, for they are a living legacy.  They were considered important enough to bring as a treasured belonging on their voyage to a new life in this country.  We don't really know if it was foresight to provide reminders of the "fatherland" for future generations.  But we do know that as we look to them to understand who we are, we are reminded that we also are a living legacy.  And our family history is still being written.

Here is an excerpt from Settie's history of the Graf family:

Philip and his parents sold their beloved home and personal effects and prepared to follow the boys.  Their nearest route was through France and from the dock at Havre they took ship.  Their household effects, clothing, cooking utensils, pewter table service and food, all stored in cedar chests for the long passage.  Steamboats had not been invented nor airplanes, so they set sail and selecting the route favored by the trade winds.  Unfortunately a storm drove them out of their course and they were six weeks on the ocean, arriving at New York harbor 1853 to be welcomed by friends who had braved the voyage earlier.  Then by wagon and canal boat, drawn by mules on the tow path, the party came overland to Waupecong where they found refuge among relatives and joined John, Christian and Valentine who had all found employment.  

Now to establish a home and care for the father who was ailing was the next concern.  Having paid for their passage, they were able to purchase a farm of forty acres, improved with a hewed log house and a log barn and a well.  A formal garden was soon laid out with flower beds planted to tulips and hyacinths which had been stored in the cedar chests.  

Next an orchard was planted, as there was no other fruit in Indiana but wild grapes, wild plums and berries.  Every foot of soil was planted and tended by hand.